Willowfest Launch Baljinder Sandhu – Picture: Louise Donges, Sunraysia Daily
FOR Willowfest 2015 Player of the Carnival Baljinder Sandhu, 2016 has been a trying year – but one about to bear fruit.
The Willowfest international ambassador was a key player in getting a team from his native India to travel to Australia to compete at Willowfest 2016.
After speaking with Willowfest president Anthony Telfer, who asked him whether an Indian
team at Willowfest would be a possibility, Sandhu approached the Cricket Council of India (CCI) and set the wheels in motion for them to put a side in.
The captain of Mildura East’s Willowfest side said it was satisfying the hard work was paying off with the announcement at the Willowfest 2016 launch on Tuesday night that the CCI would enter.
“It’s been a long year,” Sandhu said. “It started at the last Willowfest and took nearly a year to organise everything.”
The CCI team, a touring party of 20 players and coaches, will be made up of younger players from rural India who are now getting their chance to shine on an international stage.
“They are young but they have good skills,” Sandhu said.
“Especially from rural India, people have got the talent but have never had the opportunity.
“Their main strength is their spin bowlers. I know a couple of them are very good spinners.”
The CCI team will play two trial matches before Willowfest, one on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day against Sandhu’s side, to get acclimatised to the conditions and bouncier Australian pitches before Willowfest officially opens on December 27.
“It makes a big difference. Back home, the ball doesn’t bounce as much – I hope they adjust to that,” Sandhu said.
“If they can have some games before at least they will have some sort of idea.
“It takes a while to get used to.”
By Angus Dearlove Sunraysia daily
